Facebook keeps D.C. in the loop as it launches big new location feature — Patent deal language making the rounds — Wheeler: Auction plan gives all a shot

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FACEBOOK KEEPS D.C. IN THE LOOP AS IT LAUNCHES BIG NEW LOCATION FEATURE — Your MT-er has the report on the social networking giant’s effort to ease privacy worries on its new product: “The public first learned Thursday about Nearby Friends, which lets Facebook users who turn on the feature see in real-time how close they are physically to their online compatriots. But some in D.C. got an early rundown of the company’s major launch. The firm routinely reaches out these days to Washington types, including those on Capitol Hill, a spokeswoman said — a reflection that Facebook is increasingly interested in tempering worries from the policy crowd.”

“Aides to Reps. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), leaders of the Congressional Bipartisan Privacy Caucus, were called earlier Thursday about the feature. The company talked with staff for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), co-chair of the House privacy task force. And aides for Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary privacy subcommittee, were briefed as well. Weeks previously, the firm held a meeting with an array of privacy advocates to get input on the product. Some tweaks were made based on feedback from that group, three privacy advocates said.” MORE: http://politi.co/1hReeyn

PATENT DEAL LANGUAGE MAKING THE ROUNDS — Erin reports: Staffers and negotiators are still working to finesse compromise language for a patent reform bill — but they’re now circulating draft language that supporters say could be the bulk of the committee’s final measure. It’s Relatively comprehensive draft language — which includes detailed provisions on heightened pleading, discovery reforms, fee shifting and demand letters — began to circulate on and off the Hill this week. It’s the first time such a comprehensive, fleshed-out package on litigation reforms has made the rounds, according to several sources familiar with the deal. (Language, for Pros: http://politico.pro/1jPcK6b)

The text is the result of a compromise between Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), and reform advocates have been trumpeting the deal. But Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy has warned that the litigation reform component Schumer and Cornyn are working on is only “one part” of finalizing the bill. And even their effort is still not final, an aide to Cornyn said. Still, much of the text’s provisions find a middle ground between current law and the most ambitious reform proposals. Of note: Parts of the language on demand letters, which is stronger than in Leahy’s original patent bill, resembles a bill introduced this year by Sen. Claire McCaskill — but it wouldn’t give the FTC any additional rulemaking authority (as McCaskill’s bill would.)

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING and welcome to Morning Tech, where we’re scratching our way to the weekend, as usual. We hope you’ve endured the cold spat, so let us know what you’ve got on tap this weekend over at abyers@politico.com and @byersalex. And catch the rest of the team’s contact info after speed read.

** A long-time investor in America, SoftBank has invested billions of dollars in American companies over more than 20 years. In fact, our $22 billion investment in Sprint is the largest ever Japanese investment in the U.S. With SoftBank, you should always expect the unexpected. Learn why at http://softbankusa.com/. **

WHEELER: AUCTION PLAN GIVES ALL A SHOT — The FCC’s boss is stepping out and defending his incentive auction plan. Wheeler sent a letter to Rep. John Barrow Thursday — one of the leaders of Monday’s spectrum letter backing an auction blueprint that fosters maximum participation — saying that his plan gives all wireless firms a fair shot. “My proposal would reserve a modest amount of this low-band spectrum in each market for providers that, as a result of the historical accident of previous spectrum assignments, lack such low-band capacity,” he wrote. “This proposal will also contain safeguards to ensure that all bidders for reserved spectrum licenses bear a fair share of the cost of making incentive payments to broadcasters who voluntarily relinquish some or all of their spectrum usage rights.”

Wheeler adds: “Today, most of this low-band spectrum is in the hands of just two providers,” Wheeler explained. “The incentive auction offers the opportunity, possibly the last for years to come, to make low-band spectrum available to any mobile wireless provider, in any market, that is willing and able to compete at auction.”

MORE LOBBY HELP (AGAIN) FOR COMCAST — You can add Levick Strategic Communications to the list of lobby shops that Comcast has picked up in the wake of its proposed Time Warner Cable merger. Filings landed earlier this week that show the cable giant added Polaris Government Relations and Washington Tax & Public Policy Group to its ranks. But they signed on Levick, as well, in early March, according to a new registration filing this week. Levick is working on the merger, in addition to the STELA reauthorization and Internet tax freedom issues.

—SEPARATE LOBBY BYTE: CLOUDFLARE HITS D.C. Web security and performance firm Cloudflare has hired its first Washington lobbyists, according to new filings. Mehlman Vogel & Castagnetti will represent the company in D.C. The company’s CEO, Matthew Prince, tells your MT-er in a tweet that the firm’s policy focus is to “preserve a free and open Internet.” The company also wants “to be a technical resource staffers can turn to when they have questions,” he added.

RECORD LABELS SUE PANDORA OVER PRE-72 WORKS — Another one of the music industry’s copyright gripes is getting its day in the sun, as music labels filed a lawsuit against Pandora in New York Thursday. Their beef is that Pandora isn’t paying artists for the use of songs made before 1972, because federal copyright law doesn’t afford public performance rights to those works. The labels argue that they’ve got a claim to make under state laws, though, and say Pandora is being unfair. From their complaint: “Pandora deprives Plaintiffs and their artists of compensation, while profiting enormously from and gaining an unfair advantage over others who do pay to copy and publicly perform Plaintiffs' Pre-72 Recordings.” A similar suit was filed in California against SiriusXM.” We’re tracking — especially since the issue could be ripe for more Washington debate — but for now, a Pandora spokesperson says “Pandora is confident in its legal position and looks forward to a quick resolution of this matter.”

ICYMI, UBER FACES REBUKES IN EUROPE — NYT’S Mark Scott in London: “Uber’s international expansion is not going as planned. On Thursday, a Berlin court banned some of the services offered by the American company, whose smartphone app connects passengers with taxi drivers ... Also this week, a court in Brussels outlawed Uber’s services there because the company did not have the correct approvals to operate in the European city. The rulings initiated sharp criticism among some officials who are pushing for more innovation and start-up activity on the Continent, as well as on social media.” http://nyti.ms/1peX01M

SPEED READ

EDWARD SNOWDEN ON HIS QUESTION TO PUTIN: He was trying to mirror the Clapper-Wyden Q&A in March of 2013, Snowden writes: http://bit.ly/1hRhRn3

GOOGLE EYES NEW SPECTRUM FOR PROJECT LOON: In Nevada, the firm is testing its connectivity project with LTE airwaves, PC World reports: http://bit.ly/1peWbWK

ICYMI: R&D TAX CREDIT EXPIRATION PLAYS INTO Q1 EARNING: Google claims that the expiration of the credit is part of the reason its profit grew slower, the WSJ reports: http://on.wsj.com/1hRgG6Z

LIBRARIES SPEAKING UP ON E-RATE REFORM: The federal subsidy isn’t just for schools, the NYT reminds: http://nyti.ms/RtRTMu

** SoftBank loves America. We have invested billions of dollars in American companies over more than 20 years and our recent $22 billion investment in Sprint is the largest ever Japanese investment in the U.S. Following this investment, we are looking forward to bringing the competitive and innovative approach that has thrived in Japan to the U.S. wireless market. Our goal is to connect Americans to the full promise of the mobile Internet and to improve people’s lives by bringing faster, more reliable wireless services to the U.S. in an age when access to high-speed mobile connectivity is critical. Those who know SoftBank know to expect the unexpected. Learn why at http://softbankusa.com/. **